Portable mail-carrier box.



N 845,598. PATBNTED H23. 26. 1907.

W. B. VAN DBVENTER. PORTABLE MAIL CARRIER BOX.

' APPLICATION FILED MAYQ, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. v

wueukvp Witnesses. I W

WM i R No. 845,598. PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

WW. R. VAN DBVENIER.

PORTABLE MAIL CARRIER BOX. APPLICATION IILED MA Y 9. 1906.

WILLIAM E. VAN DEVENTER, OF STAR CITY, MICHIGAN.

PORTABLE lVlAlL-CARRlE-R BOX.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907,.

Application filed May 9, 1906. Serial No. 315,963.

To ml] wit/271a [it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. VAN DE- VENTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Star City, in the county of Missaukee and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Portable Mail-Carrier Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements to portable mail-carrier boxes especially designed for use by carriers in the rural districts, although it is equally as well adapted for use by any other mail-carrier who employs a vehicle.

The most essential object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having an apron which is provided with pockets in which mail is adapted to be carried, each pocket having a label designating the destination of the mail carried within each pocket.

This invention provides means for rotating the apron so as to bring the desired pocket within reach of the user of the device. The device comprises a casing having an opening therein through which the user may read the label or the labels upon the pockets and also through which he may insert his hand so as to withdraw the desired mail for delivery to its correct destination.

This invention comprises further objects and combinations of elements, which will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out by the appended claims.

To obtain a full and correct understanding of the details of construction, combination of features, elements, and advantages, reference is to be had. to the hereinafter set forth description and. the accompanying drawings in connection therewith, wherein Figure 1 is a view showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged per spective view of the portable mail-carrier or box detached and constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, showing the opposite end from that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a central transverse sectional view. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of one of the spring-rollers.

Making renewed reference to the accom-' panying drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several illustrations, by figures, 1 desigenates the casing of the improved 1naili-carrier, preferably formed of light sheet metal and having an opening therein adjacent to. the upper portion of the casing, as at. 2 through which the labels 3 up on the pockets 4 of the apron5may'be read. This opening will: also allow the user to insert his hand towithdraw the desired mail.

The upper portion of the casing, as at 6, is provided with a handle, as at 7 by which the device may be carried from place to place, whichhandle is securely fastened to the casing by clamping-plates 8, so as to allow the handle to have free movement.

To fasten the device to any part of a vehicle, preferably the dashboard, hooks 9 are provided, which engage over the upper edge of the said dashboard.

To rotate the apron so as to bring the different pockets to registration with the opening, suitable spring-ro-llers 10 are provided upon which the apron is carried, as shown in the cross-sectional view. These spring-rollers are constructed as shown in the detail view of Fig. 5, and the ends thereof are provided with pinions 11 and 12, the pinions 11 being engaged by a larger pinion 13, from the center of which a suitable lever 14 extends, said lever being rigidly connected with the pinion 13 and is provided with a springpressed pawl 15 to engage a circular rack 16, which is secured to the casing, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so as to prevent the apron from slipping, as will be understood. It will be seen that the lever 14 being rigidly con' nected with the pinion 13 is adapted to operate pinions 11 and 12, which wind the apron from one roller to another.

The pinions 12 are engaged by the brakewheel 17, which is provided with several teeth 18 upon opposite sides thereof, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. This brake-wheel is elliptical-shaped, as shown, and the diameter from the pointed ends of the Wheel, as at 19, is greater than the diameter from the circumference of each pinion 12, so as to allow the elliptical-shaped wheel to be swung pivotally as the said pinions 12 are rotated in the correct direction; but in the retrogression of the pinions the elliptical-shaped brake-wheel will wedge between the circumference thereof, as will be understood from the drawings in connection with the above description.

From the foregoing the essential features, elements, and the operation of the device, together with the simplicity thereof, will be clearly observed, and when manufactured in accordance with the invention an inexpensive market will be easily obtained therefor.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful by the protection of Letters Patent is 1. A mail-carrier, comprising a casing, a pair of spring-rollers journaled therein, an apron carried thereby and having pockets therein, pinions carried by each end of the spring-rollers, a large pinion to engage one set of said pinions, a lever rigidly connected with the center of said large pinion, a circular rack fixed to said casing and a springpressed pawl carried by said lever to engage the said rack.

2. A mail-carrier, comprising a casing, a pair of spring-rollers journaled therein, an apron carried thereby having pockets therein, pinions carried by each end of the springrollers and an elliptical-shaped brake-wheel fixed to one end of the casing for engaging one set of said pinions to prevent retrogression of the apron.

3. A mail-carreir, comprising a casing, a pair of spring-rollers journaled therein, an apron carried thereby and having pockets therein, pinions carried by each end of the spring-rollers, a large pinion to engage one set of said pinions, a lever rigidly connected With the center of said large pinion, a circular rack fixed to said casing, a spring-pressed pawl carried by said lever to engage said rack and an elliptical-shaped brake-wheel fixed to one end of the casing for engaging the other set of pinions to prevent retrogression of the apron.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM E. VAN DEVENTER.

Witnesses:

WELLER H. TAYLOR, SAMUEL D. CURTIS. 

